Electric switch



Oct. 2 1934. ANDRES r 7 1,975,247

ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 15. 192; 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E II I I i1 I INVENTQR l/ nal B m%uml ATTORNEYS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 15. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5 M251. I '3 BY M UNITED STA Patented Oct. 2, 1934 ELECTRIC SWITCH Application July 15, 1933, Serial No. 680,554 13 Claims. (01 200-15) TES' PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to electric switches and has for a general object the provision of such a device which is compact in structure, eflicient in operation and can be cheaply manufactured and 5 readily assembled into a plurality of desired forms from standard parts.

More specifically, the present invention contemplates the provision of electric switch devices, more particularly for short wave use, which are capable of eflicient circuit selection and, if desired, of simultaneous connection between adjacent circuits when the switches are operated in a manner to cut out one circuit and cut in another, assembled from standard parts into any desired form to meet particular'requirements; and

particular objects of the invention are the provisions of combinations andsub-combinations of elements useful both effectively to obtain this general end and to perform certaingsubsidiary steps and operations involved therein.

Another objectof theinvention is the provision of such a switch having spaced apart circuit terminals adapted to be bridged by a metallic bridging piece mounted on a movablemember,

one fixed terminal if desired being adapted successively to make electrical connection through the bridging piece with one of a plurality of other circuit terminals. 7

' A further object of the invention is the provision in such a device of a standard switch tiase part of insulating material provided with a central aperture to receive a rotatable contactor member and having around the periphery thereof prearranged series of apertures for receiving mounts for circuit terminal contacts to be arranged in any desired manner to obtain desired circuit relationships.

An-additional object of the invention is the provision in such a device of astandard rotatable contactor part, preferably in the form of a-disc, provided with prearranged apertures around the periphery thereof of a form to allow mounting therein at any predetermined point of a bridging piece, or pieces, in a manner to cause such bridging pieces to bridge ,adjacent circuit terminal contacts when beingjmoved from one to the other, or

to contact only one circuit terminal contact at a time, as desired.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a standard index base having index indentations provided thereon adapted to cooperate with an index arm mounted on a rotatable shaft provided with means'adapted demountably to engage a switch bank contactor operating shaft of a cross section such that it may be slidably mounted through an aperture in a contactor to prevent relative rotation therebetween, whereby any desired number of switch banks may be mounted together and spaced apart any desired distance with a selection of a contactor operatlng shaft of suitable length,- engaged to be operated by the standard index unit.

Other objects of the'invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

' The invention accordingly comprises the tea- 55 tures of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention ofwhich will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 7

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an assembled four bank switch device incorporating the present invention, with parts broken away to show structural details;

Fig. 2 is a view on line 2-2 looking in the 99 direction of the arrows, of the device depicted in Fig. 1;

{Fig. 3 is a view on line 3-3, looking in the direction of the arrows, of the device depicted in Fig. 1; l

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the standard base part used in any of the switch banks;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the standard rotatable contactor par-t used in any of the switch banks;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the standard index unit used in any of the assembled switch units;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an exploded view of the switch device depicted in Fig. 1, showing the relationship of the various parts thereof;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rotatable contactor of one switch bank and the operating shaft therefor; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the standard index unit depicted in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings like numerals refer to like parts throughout. An index base 11 is shown provided with a hollow collar 12 having 7 a. flange 13 adapted to form a seat for any desired mounting member, such as a panel 14,.to which it is secured by an internally threaded nut 15 engaging the collar 12 projecting through a hole in the panel 14. A lug 16 is preferably secured to the index base 11 to cooperate with a hole in the panel 14 to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

The index base 11, substantially in the form of a disc as shown in Fig. 6 is preferably provided with a pair of opposed ears 17-17 apertured at 18-18 to receive anchoring means for switch bank supports. As depicted in Fig. 1, such anchoring means preferably comprise screws 19 adapted to be engaged by internally threaded sleeves 20-20 which form supports for a switch bank. The index base 11 is additionally provided with circumferentially spaced indentations 21 about the periphery thereof and a plurality of holes 22 disposed around the collar 12.

An index spring arm 23 is provided with a notch to form a pair of parallel arms 24 which seat in a groove in the collar 12 in a manner to allow the arm 23 to rotate about the collar 12. The index arm 23 is additionally provided with an aperture 25 for a purpose to be explained later.

Within the collar 12 is rotatably mounted a shaft 26 having a shoulder 27 adapted to bear against the outer end of the collar 12 and a noncircular portion 28 beyond the inner end of the collar 12 adapted to be fitted in an aperture in a laterally extending arm 29 fixed to the shaft 26. The shaft is preferably provided with a reduced portion 30 beyond the non-circular portion 28 for a purpose to be set forth below.

The laterally extending arm 29 is provided with a projection 31 preferably formed integral therewith by bending the end thereof at right angles.

The projection 31 is disposed within the aperture 25 to cause the index arm 23 to move there- 'with. In the preferred form the arm 29 is additionally provided on the other end thereof with an upwardly struck portion 32 forming a hook member for a purpose to be set forth later.

The projection 31 disposed within the aperture 25 in the index arm 23 additionally serves to cooperate with a pair of stop pins 33-33 mounted in two of the holes 22 to limit the travel of the index arm 23. Thus, by mounting the pins 33-33 in any two of the holes 22 any portion of the index base 11 may be selected for travel of the index arm 23 as well as can the angle through which it travels.

The index unit described above forms astandard part to be used in any of a plurality of switch devices wherein travel and operation of contactor elements may be desirably different. The reduced portion 30 of the shaft 26 and the hook member 32 cooperate to form means demountably to engage an operating shaft for one or more switch banks. The travel of the contactor elements of these various switch banks is controlled by travel of the index arm 23 which is predetermined by selected mountation of the stop pins 33-33. This unit can thus readily be adapted to any particular switch device by a proper'mounting of the stop pins 33 to satisfy the requirements of the switch device.

A switch base 34 formed from insulating material, preferably in the form of a disc, is provided with a pair of ears 35-35 apertured to receive securing means such as bclts 36-36 threaded into the collars 20-20. The switch base 34 is additionally provided with a central aperture 38 and a plurality of apertures 37 disposed about the periphery of the base as depicted in Fig. 4: Between the central aperture 38 and the plurality of apertures 37 is additionally provided a plurality of apertures 39. This switch base formed from a sheet of insulating material, preferably by stamping, is a standard part for the various switch banks, the apertures 3'7 being provided to receive anchoring means for one or more circuit terminals and the plurality of apertures 39 being provided to receive anchoring means for other circuit terminals, such anchoring means in the preferred form additionally serving to form guides for a rotatable contactor.

The first switch bank depicted in Fig. l mounted on the supports 20-20 is shown as compris- 8 ing two series of metallic spring fingers 40, constituting circuit terminals, mounted on the switch base 34 by anchoring means such as rivets 41 disposed in the apertures 37, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3. On the other side of the switch base 34.is mounted a pair of fixed circuit terminal members 42 of electrically conductive material, preferably sheet metal, and generally shaped as a segment of a ring. These fixed terminal members 42 are additionally provided with projections 43 preferably made integral therewith reduced at 44 to be received in the holes 39 and shaped so as to provide contactor bearing faces adjacent the central aperture 38 and to space the body of the terminals 42 from the plane of the adjacent face of the switch base 34 as depicted in Fig. l. The reduced portion 44 of the member 43 is received in the hole 39 and then reversely bent back to form an additional bearing 45, as shown in Fig. 1. Extensions 46, preferably formed integral with the terminal members 42, are provided so that electrical connection with circuit wires readily may be made.

A rotatable contactor part 47, preferably in the form of a disc as depicted in Fig. 5 and stamped from a sheet of insulating material, is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 48, preferably non-circular, adapted to receive a switch operating shaft. The contactor part 47 is additionally provided with a plurality of circumferentially arranged apertures 49, each formed by a pair of intersecting slots one of which is radially disposed and the other of which is normal thereto as depicted in Fig. 5.

The rotatable contactor part 4'7 is mounted in the guides provided by the bearing faces of the projections 43 and the reversely bent ends 45 thereof. To form an electrical connection between any oneor more of the spring fingers 40 and the fixed terminal members 42, fiat metallic bridging pieces 50 are mounted as desired in either the radially disposed slot or the slot normal thereto of a selected aperture. When such bridging pieces 50 are mounted in the radially disposed slots, they are adapted to contact with one spring finger 40 at a time. When these bridging pieces 50 are disposed in the slots normal to a radii each is adapted to short adjacent spring fingers 40 when the bridging piece 50 is being moved from one spring finger 40 to the 5 adjacent spring finger.

It will thus be seen that by mounting the desired number of spring fingers 40 on the switch base 34 in one of a number of possible arrangements and by mounting one or more bridging pieces 50 in selected apertures 49 disposed either radially or normal to tl.e radii thereof as desired, any one of a number of predetermined arrangements may be had by the use of standard parts. Further variat. on in such switches obviously may be had by a selection of the holes 39 for receiving the anchoring members 43 of fixed terminal members 42. A variety of such arrangements is depicted in the four switch banks shown in Fig.

'1, each of which is formed from standard parts which differ only in arrangement of these parts upon assembly. Variations in the spacing of the switch banks may be had by the use of spacing collars 51 of varying lengths. The switch banks may be mounted so that the face upon which the spring fingers 40 are secured faces toward or away from the index device as shown in Fig. 1.

Rotation of the rotatable contactor part 47 is obtained by the use of a non-circular shaft 52, preferably in the form of a fiat strip of metal received in the aperture 48 of the contactor part 47, as is clearly shown in Fig. 9. With the use of such a switch operating shaft any desired number of switch banks may be mounted upon the index base by proper selection of a shaft length sufficient to extend beyond the outermost rotatable contactor part 47. Shaft 52 is provided at theend adjacent the index base with means for demountably engaging the end of the shaft 26 or structure there-.

on. In the preferred form the switch operating shaft 52 is bent at right angles as depicted in Figs. 1 and 9 to form a laterally extending portion 53 having a notch 54 in which is disposed the hook member 32, as depicted in Fig. 1, to cooperate with the projecting portion 30 on the end of the shaft 26 disposed in an aperture 55 formed in the elbow of the switch operating shaft 52. Thus the switch shaft 52, demountably mounted on the end of the shaft 26, is caused to rotate therewith.

In operation the angular rotation of the shaft 26 is controlled by the index arm 23 which is limited in its angular motion by the laterally extending arm 29 having the portion 31 cooperating with the stops 33-33 on the index base 11. Intermediate positions throughout this angular travel of the shaft 26 are indicated and controlled by the index arm 23 which has an aperture in the end thereof adapted to form a seat for a ball 56 which, due to the resiliency of the arm 23, is caused suecessively to snap into the indentations 21. A proper and desired relationship between the parts of each switch bank is obtained when the ball 56, held between the index base 11 and the index arm 23 by the resiliency of the latter, is caused to seat within one of the indentations 21.

The operation of the bridging pieces 50 in forming electrical connections between one or more of the spring fingers 40 and the fixed terminal members 42 is more clearly depicted in Fig. 7. Bridging pieces 50 are of greater length than the distance between spring fingers 40 and the fixed terminal members 42 so that when the rotatable contactor part 47 is moved so that a bridging piece 50 approaches a spring finger 40, it causes the latter to be sprung outwardly and to contact one end of the bridging piece 50 while the other end thereof is securely engaged upon the adjacent face of the fixed terminal member 50.

It will thus be seen that the above objects are efiiciently attained by the device of the present invention, particularly since standard parts are provided therein which, due to their particular formation, allow the construction of a variety of types of switch devices by proper assembly of the parts thereof.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scopethereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electric switch structure, the combination of a base comprising a stamped disc of insulating material having a centrally disposed hole therein, a plurality of holes about the circumference thereof adapted to receive terminal member securing means so that terminal members may be mounted in selected positions and a plurality of holes about the circumference thereof adapted to receive the anchoring means of a fixed terminal plate in a desired position, guides for a rotatable switch member mounted on said base, and a rotatable switch member comprising a stamped disc of insulating material positioned in the centrally disposed hole in said base and supported by said guides, said rotatable disc having a centrally disposed hole therein shaped to receive an operating shaft without relative rotation therebetween and a plurality of holes therethrough spaced an equal distance radially from the axis thereof, each of said holes comprising a pair of intersecting elongated apertures to receive a metallic bridging member in one of two positions whereby said bridging member may be mounted in said aperture to bridge adjacent circuit terminal contacts or to make contact with 'switch member comprising a disc of insulating material positioned in the relatively large hole in said base and supported by said guides, said rotatable disc having a centrally disposed hole therein adapted to receive an operating shaft without relative rotation therebetween and a plurality of holes therethrough spaced an equal distance radially from the axis thereof, each of said latter holes comprising a pair of intersecting elongated apertures, one of which is disposed radially and the other of which is disposed substantially perpendicular to a radii so that an elongated-metallic bridging member may be mounted therein in one position to bridge adjacent circuit terminal contacts and mounted therein in another position to make contact with a single contact at a time as desired.

3. An electric switch structure comprising an insulating base having one edge thereof lying on the circumference of a circle, a plurality of spring fingers constituting circuit terminals mounted on one side of said base and projecting beyond said edge, a fixed terminal plate mounted on the other side of said base and beyond said edge, members integral with said terminal plate engaging the adjacent surface of said base and projecting through transverse holes in said base to secure said terminal plate to said base with the ends thereof cooperating with the bases of said projections on the opposite side of said base to form guides, a member of insulating material adapted to be rotated about an axis and having one edge thereof lying on the circumference of a circle disposed between said guides and adapted to move between said terminal plate and said spring fingers, at least one metallic bridging piece on said member of a dimension suflicient to allow it to form an electrically conductive path between said terminal plate and at least one of said spring fingers when said member is moved therebetween.

' 4. In an electric switch structure a base of insulating material having a hole therein adapted to receive a rotatable switch member, a plurality of holes about the circumference thereof adapted to receive terminal member securing means so that terminal members may be mounted in selected positions and a plurality of holes about the circumference thereof adapted to receive the IQ anchoring means of av fixed terminal plate in a desired position and to allow the anchoring means is; provide guides for the rotatable switch mem- 5. In anvelectric switch structure a rotatable disc of insulating material having a centrally disposed hole adapted to receive an operating shaft therein without relative rotation therebetween and a plurality of holes therethrough spaced an equal distance radially from the axis 2Q of said rotatable member, each of said latter holes comprising a pair of intersecting elongated apertures, one of which is disposed radially and the other of which is disposed substantially perpendicular to a radii so that an elongated metallic bridging member may be mountedtherein in one '-position to bridge adjacent circuit terminal contacts and mounted therein in another position to make contact with a single contact at a as-desired.

3o 6. An electrical switch structure comprising in combination, an insulating base member, radially disposed terminal members projecting inwardly beyond an edge of said base member and- -dimension sufiicient to allow it to form an elecirically conductive path between said terminal plate and at least one of said terminal members when said rotatable member is moved therebetween, a shaft on which said rotatable member fis mounted'in a non-rotatable manner, an index plate, a shaft. rotatably moimted on said index plate, a plurality of selectively arranged index means on said plate, an index arm mounted on the latter shaft and adapted to cooperate with said index means,and means on the latter sh: ft

adapted to demcuntably receive said first me ntioned shaft and to cause the former to rotate with the latter, said indexing means being adapt- -ed to indicate the position of said brid i piece "relative to said terminal members.

7. In an electric switch structure an index base, circumferentially arranged index indentations on said base, a rotatable shaft mounted on- 53 said base, an index spring arm non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, the end of which is adapted to cooperate with the index indentationson the end of said base, means on the end of said shaft adapted demountably to engage a switch 5 operating shaft for rotating 2, contactor of at least one switch bank.

8. In an electric switch structure an index base, circumferentially arranged index indentations on said base, means on said base for supporting at Z0 ,least one switch bank, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base, an index spring-arm non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having means on the end thereof to receive a ball adapted to engage in said indentations, a member fixed on the Z end of said-shaft adapted demountably to engage time a shaft for operating a'contactor of each switc bank mounted on said index base.

9. In an electric switch structure an index base, circumferentially arranged index indentations on said base, means on said base to support at least one switch bank, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base, a pair of stops on said base, means on said shaft to cooperate with said stops to limit the rotation of said shaft, an index spring arm non-rotatably mounted on said shaft having an aperture in the end thereof, a ball seated in said aperture adapted to. cooperate with said indentations, an arm fixed on the end of said shaft having means adapted demountably to engage a non-circular shaft for rotating a contactor of each switch bank mounted on said base.

10. In an electric switch structure an index base, circumferentially arranged index indentations on said base, apertured ears on said index base to receive the securing means of supports for at least one switch bank, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base, an index spring arm nonrotatably mounted on said shaft having an aper-. ture in the end thereof, a ball seated in the aperture adapted to cooperate with the index indentations, a pair of stops mounted on said base,

anarmfixedonthe endofsaidshafthaving an engaging member and a portionadapted to cooperate with said stops to limit the rotation of said shaft, said engaging member adapted demountably to engage a. laterally projecting portion of a flat shaft for rotating a contactor of each switch bank mounted on said base.

11. An electric switch structure comprising an index base, circumferentially arranged index indentations on said base, a rotatable shaft mounted on said base, a pair of stops mounted on said base, an index spring arm non-rotatably moimt-' ed on said shaft, a transverse member mounted on the end of said shaft having a portion adapted to cooperate with said stops and an'engaging member, means on said base for supporting at least one switch bank, a rotatable contactor, for said switch-bank having an elongated slot therein, a fiat contactor rotating shaft disposed in said'slot and having a laterally projecting portion demountably engaged by said e a g member of said first mentioned shaft so that said contactor may be rotated by said flat shaft when said first mentioned shaft is manipulated. 5

12. An electric switch structure comprising an index base, circumferentially arranged index indentations on said base, apertured projections on said base, supports mounted on said base by anchoring means disposed in said apertures, a 1'0- 130 tatable shaft mounted on said base, an index spring arm non-rotatably mounted on said shaft and having an aperture in the end thereof, a ball seated in the aperture in the end of said index arm adapted to cooperate with said index indentations, a. pair of stops mounted on said index base, a laterally extending arm fixed on the end of said shaft having a portion adapted to cooperate with said stops and an outwardly struck hook member, at least one switchbank moimted on said supports, a rotatable contactor for said switch bank having an elongated slot therein, a fiat contactor operating shaft disposed in said slot and having the end thereof bent substantially at right angles, an aperture to receive the end of said rotatable shaft and a slot in the end of the laterally projecting portion of said fiat shaft adapted demountably to be engaged by said hook member on the laterally extending arm fixed to the rotatable shaft.

13. An electric switch structure comprising a. base of insulating material having a centrally located hole therein, a plurality of holes about the circumference thereof adapted to receive terminal member securing-means so that circuit terminal members may be mounted in selected positions and a plurality of holes about the circumference thereof adapted to receive the anchoring means of a fixed terminal plate in a desired position and guiding means for the rotatable switch member, in combination with a rotatable disc of insulating material mounted in the centrally located hole in said base and having a centrally disposed hole adapted to receive an operating shaft therein without relative rotation time as desired.

therebetween and a plurality of holes therethrough spaced an equal distance radially from the axis of said rotatable member, each of the latter holes comprising a pair of intersecting elongated apertures one of which is disposed radially and the other of which is disposed substantially perpendicular to a radii so that an elongated metallic bridging member may be mounted therein in one position to bridge adjacent circuit terminal members supported on said base and mounted therein in another position to make contact with a single terminal member at a PAUL G. ANDRES. ARTHUR HALL. 

